COLLEGE CORNER: Mansfield's Bell rebounds with monster performance

Mansfield’s Joe Bell (Pottsgrove), right, bounced back from a pair of off games to score 34 points and pull down 22 rebounds in a 77-73 win over Clarion this week. (Photo courtesy Mansfield University)

MANSFIELD — Joe Bell has not even played two full seasons at Mansfield. Yet it’s pretty safe to say back-to-back losses on Jan. 4 and Jan. 5 to Mercyhurst and Gannon were the worst games of his college career.

In the two games, Bell made just one of the 20 shots he attempted, tallying just 11 points, 14 rebounds and seven turnovers.

On Friday night, Bell made up for it in a very big way.

The Pottsgrove grad and Mansfield sophomore had a monster showing in a 77-73 win over Clarion, pouring in 34 points and pulling down a career-high 22 rebounds.

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“We needed a win, we found a way, and one guy stepped up big,” Mansfield head coach Rich Miller told the school’s athletic website. “Joe was just exceptional and just as importantly as his stat line was the way Joe played physically tough and responded from last week.”

Bell secured a double-double by halftime with 13 points and 12 boards, and finished the night 12-for-17 from the floor and 10-of-11 from the free throw line. He also had four blocks and four steals.

For any Pottsgrove fans hoping to see Bell and the Mounties this year, Mansfield plays at Kutztown on Jan. 30 and at Cheyney Feb. 16.

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Wagner freshman Eric Fanning (Perkiomen School) led all players with seven rebounds in a 71-52 loss to St. Francis Brooklyn on Saturday. Fanning added six points off the bench in 19 minutes of action. Earlier in the week Fanning had six points — all in the second half — in an 86-75 win over LIU-Brooklyn.

Albright senior Dave Singleton (Hill School) just missed a triple double on Saturday, tallying 14 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists in a 77-67 loss at Lebanon Valley. On Wednesday, Singleton shook off a bad shooting night to tie the game in the final minute and seal the lead at the end in a 57-55 win over Hood. Fellow senior Zach Benjamin (Daniel Boone) had seven points and three rebounds in the win over Hood.

Eastern senior Kyle Malloy (Boyertown) led the Eagles off the bench, chipping in seven points in a losing effort as Eastern fell, 83-59 at Misericordia.

Gwynedd-Mercy sophomore John Davis (Daniel Boone) pulled down six rebounds as the Griffins beat Cairn, 84-45, for its third straight win.

Kutztown junior Tyler Brooks (Daniel Boone) scored 15 points and had nine rebounds, four blocks and three steals in his first game back from injury.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Immaculata senior Chrissy Esbensen (St. Pius X) had a game-high 24 points — including a 6-of-8 night from beyond the arc — as the Mighty Macs routed Cedar Crest, 68-28. Esbensen also had four rebounds and two steals while playing just 26 minutes.

Albright junior Kari Ludy (Pottsgrove) had eight points, five rebounds and two steals off the bench in a 73-52 win over Hood on Wednesday.

Kutztown senior Ashley Wood (Spring-Ford) had 12 points, two boards, one block and one steal Friday in a 46-40 win over Edinboro.

Saint Vincent senior Melissa Mansur (St. Pius X) had eight rebounds to go with three points, four assists and a game-high five steals in a 63-50 loss to Thomas More.

WOMEN’S SWIMMING

Bloomsburg senior Bridget Hilferty (Perkiomen Valley) won the College Senior Women division in the International Swimming Hall of Fame Roughwater Swim in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Hilferty swam the one-mile open-water course in the Atlantic Ocean in a time of 25:34.8, finishing 45 seconds ahead of the next-closest swimmer. Later in the week – and back indoors – Hilferty finished fourth in the 400 freestyle among a large contingent of Division II swimmers at the Bob Mowerson Invitational, also in Fort Lauderdale. Her time of 4:54.46 earned her an award as a top finisher. Freshman Ashley Dix (Perkiomen Valley) finished second in the 100 free at the event.

Ohio State senior Shannon Draves (Boyertown) won the 200 fly (2:01.54) and was part of a first-place 400 medley relay (3:46.10) in a 189-104 win over Toledo. Draves also won the 100 fly (55.72) for the Buckeyes, who are ranked 15th in the nation.

Akron freshman Erin Seiler (Spring-Ford) finished second in the 100 butterfly (57.77) in a 171-122 loss to Oakland (Mich.).

Penn State junior John Hauser (St. Pius X) won twice in a 171-124 win over Missouri State, taking the 200 free (1:39.65) and 100 free (45.94). Hauser also was part of a victorious 400 free relay (3:03.89).

ICE HOCKEY

Vermont junior and Collegeville native Chris McCarthy had an assist in a 6-3 loss to UMass-Lowell on Saturday.

Union College sophomore Max Novak (Hill School) scored his third goal of the season Friday in a 3-2 win over Princeton.

WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS

Ohio State junior Sarah Miller (Methacton) was named Big Ten Gymnast and Specialist of the Week after a strong performance at Bowling Green. On Friday, Miller finished tied for second on balance beam (9.800), tied for second on floor (9.825) and tied for fifth on vault (9.775) in a 195.375-195.000 loss to No. 9 Oregon State.

Bowling Green freshman Alyssa Nocella (Boyertown) finished second in the all-around (37.575) in a meet against Texas Woman’s University. Nocella posted a 9.8 on balance beam, 9.675 on floor, 9.35 on vault and 8.75 on the uneven bars.

ALUMNI

Former La Salle University diver and 2002 graduate Melanie Coots Platchek (Spring-Ford) will be inducted into the university’s Hall of Athletes on Feb. 9. She will be recognized — along with three other inductees — at halftime of the men’s basketball game that day against Fordham.

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